Earl Murray

On June 26, 2021, Earl Walter Murray, 96, entered heaven and was reunited with Glenace May Murray (Sterner), his loving wife and life teammate of 69 years. Celebration of Life services will be held on Tuesday, July 6, at 2:00 p.m., at Terrace Park Funeral Home in Kansas City, Missouri, and on Thursday, July 8, at 2:00 p.m., at Grace Fellowship Church in Waterloo, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to each service. The family will attend a graveside service at Garden of Memories in Waterloo.

Earl is best known for his love for God, love for family, and love for America. His faith in God began as a child and grew throughout adulthood. Earl’s favorite memories included sharing his faith with his parents and brother, Russell, and helping lead them to a personal relationship with Jesus. Earl was a self-taught finance aficionado and enjoyed discussing politics. Earl consistently set personal goals and strove for them. His positive, encouraging spirit was contagious and a joy to others. Earl diligently worked as a beef shipping clerk at Rath Packing Company, in Waterloo, Iowa, for forty-one years. His good reputation led to his appointment as a company board member on behalf of Rath employees. He and Glenace set a goal of buying property and retiring in southern Missouri. Together, they painstakingly renovated a farmhouse in Dora, Missouri, where they spent over a decade making memories with family of laughter-filled holidays at the farmhouse and canoeing on the White River with their children and grandchildren, before relocating to Kansas City. There, they were members of Liberty Hills Bible Church where they developed many friendships.

Many of Earl’s family and friends will remember him whenever a harmonica is heard. As a lifelong music enthusiast, Earl set a goal of learning to play the harmonica around the age of 60 and joined the Kansas City Harmonicateers. Even after his eyesight dimmed, Earl continued to play from memory until a week before his death.

Earl was preceded in death by his wife, Glenace May Murray (Sterner), parents, George Washington and Myrtle Violet Murray (Rice), brothers, Bill Murray and Russell Murray, and son-in-law, David Petersen.

Survivors include his daughter, Linda Petersen, whom he affectionately called, “Susie,” son Jim and Patricia “Pat” Murray (Fairholm), son Dan and Sheila Murray (Marker); grandchildren, Seth Murray, Elizabeth Murray, Kerri Clausman, Luke Murray, Jared Murray, Austin Murray, Abigail Crain, and Dr. Jenna Gidel; and great-grandchildren, Alexander Murray, Avery Jane Murray, Josiah Murray, Jonah Murray, Oliver Murray, Eliana Murray, Joanna Murray, Judah Murray, Hannah May Murray, Grace Crain, Michaela Murray, Edward Crain, and Jerusalem Murray.